​Credential Students

• You can also earn your Preliminary Education Specialist Credential concurrently with an MEd in Special Education through our Master's Credential Cohort: Special Education, which equips you with deeper knowledge, skills and strategies to flourish in your new career.
• International students are not eligible to apply to the credential program because they must be enrolled as degree-seeking students to qualify for a student visa. However, international students may be eligible to apply to our Master's Credential Cohort Program: Elementary Education program in which the coursework for this credential is combined with the coursework for a master's degree.

Preliminary Education Specialist Credential

• A second option is to earn your Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential concurrently with an MEd in Elementary Education through our Master's Credential Cohort: Elementary Education, which equips you with deeper knowledge, skills and strategies to flourish in your new career.
• International students are not eligible to apply to the credential program because they must be enrolled as degree-seeking students to qualify for a student visa. However, international students may be eligible to apply to our Master's Credential Cohort Program: Elementary Education program in which the coursework for this credential is combined with the coursework for a master's degree.

Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential

• As a third option, you can earn your Preliminary Single Subject Credential concurrently with an M.Ed. in Secondary Education through our Master's Credential Cohort: Secondary Education, which equips you with deeper knowledge, skills and strategies to flourish in your new career.
• International students are not eligible to apply to the credential program because they must be enrolled as degree-seeking students to qualify for a student visa. However, international students may be eligible to apply to our Master's Credential Cohort Program: Elementary Education program in which the coursework for this credential is combined with the coursework for a master's degree.

Preliminary Single Subject Credential

• The Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) program prepares students to become professional counselors. Through this program, students fulfill the requirements to earn a California pupil personnel services credential in addition to their master's degree.
• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all international applicants and may only be waived if English is the applicant's primary language or if he or she obtained a bachelor's degree in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada or Australia.

Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential

1. • Certificate of Clearance before field placement
   • Basic Skills Requirement (CBEST or equivalent) passing score required before student teaching
   • Subject Matter Competence (CSET or approved program) passing score required before student teaching
   • Copy of current infant, child and adult CPR certification
   • Copy of RICA passing verification – not required for early childhood specialization
   • Official transcript or original exam results for U.S. Constitution
   • Transcript showing Bachelor's degree
   • Official transcript for linguistics course--if required for EL
   • Completion of all credential course work with a grade of B- or better
   • Completion of student teaching

Education Specialist Intern

1. • Copy of admission letter to USD
   • Transcripts of all college coursework including: Bachelor's degree, “Introductory Special Education” course, and “Classroom Management” course
   • Verification of pre-requisite experience
   • Certificate of Clearance before field placement
   • Basic Skills Requirement (CBEST or equivalent) 
   • Subject Matter Competence (CSET or approved program)
   • "verification of employment as an intern" form, filled out completely by your supervisor/employer for the internship
   • Completion of all credential course work with a grade of B- or better
   • Completion of student teaching

1. • Certificate of Clearance required before field placement
   • Basic Skills Requirement (CBEST or equivalent) passing score required before student teaching
   • Subject Matter Competence (CSET) passing score required before student teaching
   • Copy of current infant, child, and adult CPR certification
   • Official transcript for linguistics course
   • Copy of RICA passing verification
   • Official transcript or original exam results for U.S. Constitution
   • Transcript showing Bachelor's degree
   • Complete all credential course work with a grade of B- or better
   • Complete student teaching

1. • Certificate of Clearance required before field placement
   • Basic Skills Requirement (CBEST) passing score required before student teaching
   • Subject Matter Competence (CSET or approved program) passing score required before student teaching
   • Copy of current infant, child, and adult CPR certification
   • Official transcript for linguistics course
   • Official transcript or original exam results for U.S. Constitution
   • Transcript showing Bachelor's degree
   • Completion of all credential course work with a grade of B- or better.
   • Completion of student teaching

• Certificate of Clearance before field placement
• Submit Basic Skills Requirement (CBEST or equivalent) passing score in order to receive a recommendation for the credential
• Transcripts of all college coursework including Bachelor's Degree
• Petition for Approval of Transfer Credential Course and official transcript for transfer coursework
• Completion of all credential course work with a grade of B- or better
• Completion of fieldwork experience

Meeting the Basic Skills Requirement

Candidates for the California teaching credential may satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) through a variety of options.

Candidates can demonstrate basic skills by  

• passing the CBEST exam
• submitting proof of qualifying alternative basic skills exam scores, e.g., SAT, ACT, AP, etc.
• qualifying college-level coursework
• a combination of qualifying college-level coursework and qualifying basic skills exams including the CBEST.

Combining Options

Please see the tables under Reading, Writing, and Mathematics for details about qualifying college-level coursework and qualifying basic skills exams that may be combined to satisfy each subject of the Basic Skills Requirement.

Coursework Option

If using coursework to meet one or more components of the Basic Skills Requirement, the following rules apply:

The candidate must have earned a grade of "B" or better (“B-” is acceptable) in the qualifying coursework

• The coursework must have been taken at a regionally accredited college or university
• The coursework must provide 3-semester units (or 4.5 quarter units) of college credit
• The coursework must have been taken for academic credit (earned units)
• The coursework must be AA or BA degree applicable
• If taken at a college or university outside the United States, the courses must be English-based courses and must be deemed as equivalent to coursework taken at a regionally-accredited college or university in the United States. Foreign-prepared educators must obtain an evaluation of their transcripts through a Commission-approved Foreign Transcript Evaluating Agency. See leaflet CL-635for more information.

The following coursework is NOT acceptable:

• Professional development or continuing education units
• Inservice training or workshops
• Non-credit bearing courses
• Courses where credits do not apply toward the requirements for an Associate degree, Baccalaureate degree, or higher degree

Note that out-of-state basic skills examination subtests cannot be used as a mix-and-match option.

If you do not take the CBEST or have not passed all sections of the CBEST, you may request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements through alternative options. To determine if you qualify for satisfying the BSR through alternative options, please review the tables provided for meeting the Reading, Writing and Mathematics BSR. To request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements, please complete Form 41-BSR. (Note: if you select a test or exam to meet a BSR, you must upload a copy of your test/exam score with your request for an evaluation. Please contact the test provider to obtain a copy of the scores.).

For additional information, please consult the CTC correspondence.

To determine if you satisfy the Reading Basic Skills Requirement, please review the table below

If you do not take the CBEST or have not passed all sections of the CBEST, you may request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements through alternative options. Please complete the Form 41-BSR. (Note: if you select a test or exam to meet a BSR, you must upload a copy of your test/exam score with your request for an evaluation. Please contact the test provider to obtain a copy of scores). 

To determine if you satisfy the Writing Basic Skills Requirement, please review the table below

If you do not take the CBEST or have not passed all sections of the CBEST, you may request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements through alternative options. Please complete the Form 41-BSR. (Note: if you select a test or exam to meet a BSR, you must upload a copy of your test/exam score with your request for an evaluation. Please contact the test provider to obtain a copy of scores).

To determine if you satisfy the Mathematics Basic Skills Requirement, please review the table below

If you do not take the CBEST or have not passed all sections of the CBEST, you may request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements through alternative options. Please complete Form 41-BSR. (Note: if you select a test or exam to meet a BSR, you must upload a copy of your test/exam score with your request for an evaluation. Please contact the test provider to obtain a copy of scores).

To determine if you qualify for satisfying the BSR through alternative options, please review the tables provided for meeting the Reading, Writing and Mathematics BSR. To request an evaluation of Basic Skills Requirements, please complete Form 41-BSR. (Note: if you select a test or exam to meet a BSR, you must upload a copy of your test/exam score with your request for an evaluation).